


With this Ring

by the1eyedtree



Series: Dimiclaude Birthday Week 2020 [5]
Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Crying, Day 6, Dimiclaude Birthday Week (Fire Emblem), Kissing, M/M, Panic Attack, Promises, Proposals, Rings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-21
Updated: 2020-08-21
Packaged: 2021-03-06 18:01:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,700
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26033095
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the1eyedtree/pseuds/the1eyedtree
Summary: Day 6 of Dimiclaude Birthday Week -- Theme: Rings, Promises, CelebrationDimitri had never seen Claude hesitate before – it was unsettling… “Dimitri, I must return to my homeland.”He…Was…Leaving…Dimitri’s heart raced, his vision started to blur, everything felt…..cold. What would it take to change Claude's mind?
Relationships: Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd/Claude von Riegan
Series: Dimiclaude Birthday Week 2020 [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1883053
Comments: 4
Kudos: 67





	With this Ring

Dimitri climbed up the worn steps of the Goddess Tower, the anxiety of his past time spent here merging with the excitement of a newly won future. For once, it felt like his future was lit up not by the roaring fires of the damned, but by the warm shining light of the sun. He held tighter to the small ring of silver. It once had a small box to hold it, but he had crushed it when lost in thought about the implications of the ring itself.

He had been searching for Claude all day, surprised but not uneased by finding his bedside empty that morning. Sleep was still a rarity for Dimitri, so Claude always took every caution he could to not wake him when he did manage to slumber. But Dimitri had something very important to ask Claude today – not able to wait any longer. There was no point in waiting – he had to know….to truly know if…

_What if Claude didn’t love him like he loves Claude?_

Dimitri hesitated in his climbing of the stairs. He knew better than to give credence to such thoughts, but….but there had to be _some_ credibility to that thought, right? They hadn’t been together but a few months, and “together” was a loose term anyhow. After Dimitri and his forces managed to save Claude from Arundel’s attack on Derdriu, he had managed to convince Claude to stay and help them finish the war once and for all. Dimitri still wasn’t quite sure of how he convinced Claude, but his heart still felt a boon when the other looked at him.

Dimitri shook himself out of his thoughts and continued his ascent. Hilda had cheerily informed Dimitri that Claude was in the tower, and Dimitri had all but sprinted there. The ring burned in his hand as anxiety and anticipation mingled in his chest. He finally reached the top and pushed the broken wood of the door to open it.

And there was Claude, gazing out the window to the vast expanse of land beyond the monastery. His back was to Dimitri, and one of his hands rested on his hip – Dimitri recognized this posture to mean that Claude was trying to appear relaxed and approachable.

“Claude?” Dimitri’s voice rumbled deep and sent a shiver up Claude’s spine.

“Sorry for having Hilda call you out here like this. I wanted to talk, just the two of us…” Claude slowly turned so he could look at Dimitri.

Dimitri’s heart wanted to stop dead. Claude might have looked relaxed, but his eyes held the sort of anguish that only heartbreak could bring. And the first word uttered from his soft lips was an apology. Dimitri felt the weight of the world claw at him.

“It seems like our long struggle may finally be coming to an end.” Claude’s voice was a practiced calm. Dimitri took a step forward, ignoring the creaking and groaning of the floor.

“It seems so.” Dimitri attempted to take a calming breath, but it was shaky. “We could not have made it here without you.”

“And I would likely be dead without you! So, I suppose that makes us even.”

_Even?_

_Was this all just….some sort of deal to him?_

“Your life is not something that you…owe to me, Claude.”

“Even still…I,” Dimitri had never seen Claude hesitate before – it was unsettling… “Dimitri, I must return to my homeland.”

_He.._

_Was….._

_Leaving………_

Dimitri’s heart raced, his vision started to blur, everything felt….. _cold_.

“It's time for me to struggle all over again and see what good I can do. If I don't change things in both Fódlan and the lands beyond, I'll never set eyes on the kind of world I've dreamed of creating,” Claude said, his tone so absolute he likely had rehearsed his words a few times.

“You..can’t.”

“I-what?” Claude’s calm tone crumbled into shock.

“Leave – why would you need to leave??”

“I _just_ told you – Dimitri I told you back in Derdriu that my time in Fódlan was coming to an end – while I’m glad you did; I cannot let you convince me to stay any longer.”

“So, it has been…unfair to keep you here…” Dimitri should have known better – he should never have gotten his hopes up. Why would Claude love him? Sure Dimitri’s grown and found the light again….but that light was mostly Claude himself…If he leaves…would Dimitri return to the darkness?

“No, it hasn’t been ‘unfair,’ but my time has run out – if I had time for a drawn-out goodbye, I would make that happen. But it’s urgent that I go home, Dimitri.”

“’Urgent’…” Dimitri echoed, many questions bubbling up in his mind. Claude finally stepped closer to him and Dimitri could see the redness of his eyes in the early afternoon light. Claude had been crying. Dimitri reached out with his empty hand and gripped Claude’s shoulder. He silently urged him to continue speaking.

“My father is dead…”

Dimitri felt his blood run cold, and the chill held his heart in its tight grasp.

“ _Claude_ …I-,”

“I know you understand, but that is why I must go _now_.”

Some sort of realization bounced around in Dimitri’s mind. If Claude needed to urgently return home because his father was dead….

“When you told me before that you had ‘insignificant royal connections,’ you were downplaying yourself.” Claude’s shoulders lowered, just a fraction, before he straightened up with proper posture.

“I was.” They searched each other’s eyes for a few moments.

“I see, well then we should make preparations to go then.”

“Oh Dima… _we_ can’t, because _I_ need _you_ to stay here – right now, Fódlan is like a newborn. Frail and easily upset – everything will fall apart without its new king.”

“Give me a day.”

“I really do wish I could, but I’ve exhausted the little time I had – _I have to go now_ ,” Claude’s voice was resolute, but Dimitri could see lamentation in his eyes.

“It’s just one day.”

“I – Dimitri, please-,”

“I do not understand why not – with a day we can hand everything over to the prof- _Archbishop_ and make a plan – to act without a plan is very unlike you.” Dimitri could see the flicker of offense in Claude’s eyes, but he held his ground – Claude was going to have to tell him exactly what was going on.

“I do have a plan, but you have to understand….” Claude searched Dimitri’s face for something and sighed, stepping forward. He raised his arms to rest his hands on Dimitri’s arms before continuing. “I am heir to the throne of Almyra.”

“All the more reason to be _careful_.”

There were the briefest sparks of surprise in Claude’s eyes.

“I was counting on you of all people to understand why I cannot leave the throne open for long.”

Dimitri felt the sickening noose of guilt tighten around his neck. Of course Dimitri understood why Claude needed to go, but….he can’t lose him.

He can’t lose this light.

He might as well be dead again without Claude.

“Dimitri, we’d only be apart maybe a year.”

The room felt like it was getting darker, Dimitri’s vision blurred, everything sounded far away, even Claude.

 _A year_??

_Without Claude??_

_Without light????_

“Dim-……-sten to me……..shhh sh…”

Dimitri did not realize he was crying until Claude was gently holding his face and wiping the tears away. Dimitri reached his arms around him and pulled Claude into a crushing hug. Claude whispered apologies and soothing words, hugging Dimitri back until he calmed down.

“I’m sorry…” Dimitri said in a hushed whisper. Claude offered him a gentle smile.

“Maybe this will help. I hope you'll accept this…” Claude reached in his pocket and brought out a small elegantly embroidered pouch. Dimitri watched as he opened it and pulled out a beautiful gold ring. “I wanted to at least leave you with the promise that I’ll be back.” Claude searched his face again. Dimitri stared at the ring for a long moment.

“ _Khalid_ ,” he whispered, earning a surprised tilt of Claude’s head. Dimitri lifted his hand and set the silver ring he had been clinging to on Claude’s outstretched palm next to the offered gold ring. Claude’s lips parted in surprise.

“Did you…come looking for me to – does this mean the same thing here in Fódlan?”

“You have my heart, Claude – I’m not sure I can survive it if you leave.”

There were tears welling in the corners of Claude’s eyes.

“Dima,” Claude’s voice cracked on his name.

“You are my…the most beloved person to me.”

“’Beloved’,” Claude echoed. Dimitri leaned down and pressed his forehead to Claude’s. “L-like I was saying earlier…. can’t let you c-convince me……to stay any longer.” Dimitri had never heard Claude stammer like this, and he was not sure what would help him most. So, he decided to selfishly do what would help _himself_ most right now. He shifted so he could press a kiss to Claude’s lips. Claude sunk into that familiar warmth and clung to Dimitri with the hand that wasn’t still holding up the rings. They parted just enough for Dimitri to speak.

“ _An hour_.” His breath ghosted across Claude’s lips in a way that made his heart sing. “Give me an hour, so I may accompany you into this new dawn that you seek.”

Claude looked at him with wide eyes, nothing about this had gone to plan. But the thought of never having to let go of his… _beloved_ was so strong and warm.

“You can have _two_ if you accept my proposal.”

“Done.”

Dimitri yanked his glove and gauntlet off, and Claude slid the gold ring onto his finger. Dimitri pulled at Claude’s glove, and Claude couldn’t help but smile at his enthusiasm. Claude bit one of the fingers of his glove and pulled his hand free. Dimitri gently slid the silver ring onto his finger. The weight of what they just committed to and what laid in front of them sat heavy upon them as they looked at their hands.

“I love you. With everything I am.”

“I love you, too, Claude, my beloved.”

**Author's Note:**

> S-Support obtained! I hope you enjoyed and thanks so much for reading!! :D


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